315 million tonnes transported through pipelines in 2022

© ANP / Flip Franssen
In 2022, 315 million tonnes were transported through pipelines in the Netherlands. That was 12 million tonnes more than the previous year, but 16 percent less than 2012. Natural gas transportation, in particular, declined during that period. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this on the basis of a new statistic commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and in cooperation with the Association of Pipeline Owners in the Netherlands (VELIN).

Mainly less domestic transport

The decrease from the previous decade is attributable to a decline in domestic transport. In 2022, 98 million fewer tonnes were transported through pipelines in the Netherlands than in 2013, the year in which it was decided to phase out natural gas extraction from the Groningen gas field. Foreign inbound cargo increased by 17 million tonnes relative to 2021, while outbound cargo remained approximately at the same level.


The ratio of domestic transport, inbound and outbound cargo was different in 2022 compared with 2012. In 2012, nearly 70 percent of the total weight of goods transported through pipelines comprised domestic transport and 30 percent cross-border transport. In 2022, this had increased to over 47 percent.

Decrease in natural gas transport volumes

In 2022, nearly 50 percent of the total weight of goods transported through the pipeline network consisted of (natural) gases, relative to 62 percent in 2013. The second largest group of goods transported through pipelines was petroleum and petroleum products, with a share of over 48 percent, while for chemicals, such as nitrogen and chlorine, it was 2 percent.


Since 2013, natural gas transportation has been decreasing. In 2022, more than 167 million tonnes of gases were transported domestically through the main transport network. That was 60 percent less than in 2013. Natural gas exports have also decreased, but less significantly, while natural gas imports have increased to 59 million tonnes in previous years.

In terms of transported weight, chemicals formed the smallest category, at approximately 7 million tonnes per year. Domestic transport weight was also largest, while imports were approximately at the same level as exports.

The pipeline infrastructure in the Netherlands has an overall length of approximately 18 thousand kilometers, of which around 12 thousand kilometers of pipelines are used to transport gases and 6 thousand kilometres for petroleum, petroleum products and other chemicals.

16 percent of total Dutch goods transport goes through pipelines

Pipeline transport accounted for over 16 percent of total Dutch goods transport. The largest share of total transport was by road (38 percent), of which 29 percent was by maritime transport, 15 percent by inland waterways and the smallest share of 2 percent was by rail.

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